- Joined
- Jan 8, 2010
Here is a short inetrview with Stephane Lambiel:
http://www.nvspb.ru/stories/stefan-lambel-menya-nikto-ne-podderjival-krome-roditeley-42156
together with my translation from Russian.
It doesn't reveal a great deal, but since this is an off-season I thought that's better than nothing.
Bear in mind that it was first translated into Russian and now I transleted it into English. Additionally, I'm not Russian native speaker so the text is subjet to mistranslation.
Two-time world champion, Olympic silver medallist from Torino Stephane Lambiel of Switzerland after the Vancouver Olympics said that he retired from his sport career. Despite that fans of the ‘king of spins’ (as the skater is called by many) hope that he will comeback to amateur skating. Even Evgeny Plushenko thinks that the Swiss will be one of the favourites to win in singles competition at the Sochi Olympics. During the interview with the ‘Nevskoye Vriemya’ Sthephane Lambiel himself told of the reasons of his retirement from the sport and about his plans for the future.
Plushenko does not believe that you left amateur skating forever.
Yes, I was told of Evgeny’s words. But I think that every person has his own journey. Plushenko should rather focus on his own performances and I will take care of myself. I respect his decision to stay in the sport for the next 4 years. Still, I think that his predictions of my Sochi comeback will not come true. Although I really want to go to the 2014 Olympics. But I don’t know what my role will be. I only know that it will not be the role of an athlete.
Next year the European Championships are taking place in your home country, in Bern. Will you participate in any way in it?
Since figure skating is my life, I of course, will be in Bern. I want to preserve my contact with the athletes. Maybe I will become someone’s adviser or I will work as a choreographer. Or maybe I will be doing something else. At the moment, I like participating in the shows and I want to take advantage of this opportunity.
Didn’t the Swiss Federation try to persuade you to compete for one more year so that the stands will fill with spectators during the European Championships?
No, no one tried to persuade me. In addition, throughout all those years the federation did not pay me a single franc, did not help me with a single practice session. I had to pay for everything, the work of choreographer, costumes and air tickets to get to competitions. I don’t know what the situation of other skaters is, but I wasn’t supported by anyone. That’s why now I’m happy that I can spend my time the way I like, I can do whatever I like and I don’t depend on anyone.
What were the costs of your amateur career per year?
Usually 150 – 100 thousands of Swiss francs.
A lot of money. Did you have any sponsors?
The main support came from my parents. Yes, at times I had some small sponsors. But I wouldn’t accomplish anything without my parents. My father wasn’t very rich, but he was always doing his best so that I, my brother and sister could live our lives with dignity.
You’ve already retired from competitive skating before. But you came back for the 2010 Olympics. Fans and pundits considered it a great achievement. That’s not a secret that you performed with serious hip injury.
I don’t want to talk about heroism. Many athletes are in the same situation. But I will not disagree: the Olympic season indeed turned out to be very difficult. Unfortunately, my injury cannot be cured in one day. I cannot have a surgery and forget about it forever. Once physical demands increase, it will come back and my leg will start to hurt acutely.
In Vancouver you were so close to the medals having placed forth.
To retire after winning a medal would definitely be much better. And obviously that was my plan, but it did not happen. Nevertheless life goes on.
What are you going to do, having parted with the sport of high accomplishments?
First of all, I plan to take part in a large number of shows. If I have an opportunity to dance on the stage or play in the theatre, I will give it a try with pleasure. Actually, I already have offers of participation in dance shows. But now matter what I will not leave figure skating.
http://www.nvspb.ru/stories/stefan-lambel-menya-nikto-ne-podderjival-krome-roditeley-42156
together with my translation from Russian.
It doesn't reveal a great deal, but since this is an off-season I thought that's better than nothing.
Bear in mind that it was first translated into Russian and now I transleted it into English. Additionally, I'm not Russian native speaker so the text is subjet to mistranslation.
Two-time world champion, Olympic silver medallist from Torino Stephane Lambiel of Switzerland after the Vancouver Olympics said that he retired from his sport career. Despite that fans of the ‘king of spins’ (as the skater is called by many) hope that he will comeback to amateur skating. Even Evgeny Plushenko thinks that the Swiss will be one of the favourites to win in singles competition at the Sochi Olympics. During the interview with the ‘Nevskoye Vriemya’ Sthephane Lambiel himself told of the reasons of his retirement from the sport and about his plans for the future.
Plushenko does not believe that you left amateur skating forever.
Yes, I was told of Evgeny’s words. But I think that every person has his own journey. Plushenko should rather focus on his own performances and I will take care of myself. I respect his decision to stay in the sport for the next 4 years. Still, I think that his predictions of my Sochi comeback will not come true. Although I really want to go to the 2014 Olympics. But I don’t know what my role will be. I only know that it will not be the role of an athlete.
Next year the European Championships are taking place in your home country, in Bern. Will you participate in any way in it?
Since figure skating is my life, I of course, will be in Bern. I want to preserve my contact with the athletes. Maybe I will become someone’s adviser or I will work as a choreographer. Or maybe I will be doing something else. At the moment, I like participating in the shows and I want to take advantage of this opportunity.
Didn’t the Swiss Federation try to persuade you to compete for one more year so that the stands will fill with spectators during the European Championships?
No, no one tried to persuade me. In addition, throughout all those years the federation did not pay me a single franc, did not help me with a single practice session. I had to pay for everything, the work of choreographer, costumes and air tickets to get to competitions. I don’t know what the situation of other skaters is, but I wasn’t supported by anyone. That’s why now I’m happy that I can spend my time the way I like, I can do whatever I like and I don’t depend on anyone.
What were the costs of your amateur career per year?
Usually 150 – 100 thousands of Swiss francs.
A lot of money. Did you have any sponsors?
The main support came from my parents. Yes, at times I had some small sponsors. But I wouldn’t accomplish anything without my parents. My father wasn’t very rich, but he was always doing his best so that I, my brother and sister could live our lives with dignity.
You’ve already retired from competitive skating before. But you came back for the 2010 Olympics. Fans and pundits considered it a great achievement. That’s not a secret that you performed with serious hip injury.
I don’t want to talk about heroism. Many athletes are in the same situation. But I will not disagree: the Olympic season indeed turned out to be very difficult. Unfortunately, my injury cannot be cured in one day. I cannot have a surgery and forget about it forever. Once physical demands increase, it will come back and my leg will start to hurt acutely.
In Vancouver you were so close to the medals having placed forth.
To retire after winning a medal would definitely be much better. And obviously that was my plan, but it did not happen. Nevertheless life goes on.
What are you going to do, having parted with the sport of high accomplishments?
First of all, I plan to take part in a large number of shows. If I have an opportunity to dance on the stage or play in the theatre, I will give it a try with pleasure. Actually, I already have offers of participation in dance shows. But now matter what I will not leave figure skating.
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*sob*
